Door stop



United States Patent DOOR STOP Anthony M. Castello, Washington, D. C.

Application January 17, 1952, Serial No. 266,977

6 Claims. (Cl. 217-60) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see.266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufacturedand used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to checks or stops for limiting relativeswinging movement of hinged members such as closures and moreparticularly, to a check or stop which automatically engages andautomatically releases when force in excess of a predetermined amount isapplied thereto.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved closure stopor check including locking elements which automatically lockingly engagewhen the closure is opened a predetermined amount and whichautomatically release upon the application of a force to the closureexceeding by a predetermined amount the force required to hold thelocking elements in locked position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved closurestop or check in which the locking elements are yieldingly biased tolocking position so that they will release automatically when forceexceeding a predetermined value is applied to a closure equippedtherewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedclosure stop or check adapted automatically to check the closure at aredetermined position or to release the closure for movement beyond thepredetermined position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedcheck or stop which may be stamped in its entirety from sheet or strapspring metal so that it is inexpensive to construct and may beconstructed in various sizes and which is compact so that it occupies aminimum of space both when operative and inoperative.

These and other objects, advantages and capabilities of the inventionwill become apparent from the following description wherein reference ishad to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a box-like containerhaving a hinged closure disposed in closed position showing one form ofthe improved closure stop of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the closure for thecontainer in open position and the position assumed by the closure stopswhen the closure is 0 en;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification ofthe invention, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the closure stopdisclosed in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of illustrating a practical application of the presentinvention, it is shown applied to a relatively small box having an endwall 12 and a cover 14 hinged to the latter by a hinge 16. In the formof the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, the improved stop or checkcomprises a pair of substantially symmetrical generally arcuate shapedarms 18 and 20 having radially extending anchoring flanges 22 on one endthereof. Preferably these arms are stamped from spring metal and theyare relatively narrow compared to the width of the box 10 so that littlespace in the interior of the box is occupied thereby.

The anchor flanges 22 on the arms 18 and 20 are fixed to the end wall 12and inner side of the cover 14 respectively, by any suitable means suchas screws (not shown) at a position to center the arms on the axis ofthe hinge Patented Apr. 26, 1955 ice 16 and so as to dispose the arms 18and 20 in substantially the same circular plane. Adjacent their freeends, the arms 18 and 20 are provided with complementary formationswhich may, for example, comprise a radially outwardly directedprojection 24 in arm 20 and a complerzrbentary recess 26 in the side ofarm 18 confronting arm In view of the fact that arms 18 and 20 areanchored so as to lie in substantially the same circular plane, theprojection 24 in arm 20 forms a point of contact between the free end ofthis arm and the body of arm 18 spacing the free end of arm 20 and thebody of arm 18 from each other. An area of contact between the free endof the latter arm and the body of arm 20 is provided by a radiallyinwardly directed projection 28 in arm 18 adjacent the recess 26 in thefree end thereof. A predetermined spacing is thus maintained between thecoextensive portions of arms 18 and 20 when they move relativelyangularly due to opening or closing of the cover 14, and the projections24 and 28 thus form areas of sliding contact between the two arms 18 and20. Moreover, since these arms are flexible and are anchored to lie insubstantially the same circular plane as previously explained, thebodies thereof are held in spaced relation by these projections 24 and28 as seen in Fig. 1, thereby flexing the arms 18 and 20 so that thefree ends thereof are yieldingly biased toward each other.

As a result of the flexibility of arms 18 and 20, the projection 24 onarm 20 may be made to ride over the projection 28 in arm 18 by theapplication of force to the cover 14 in excess of that required to openthe same. Since the arms 18 and 20 are biased toward each other at alltimes, as explained above, the projection 24 on arm 20 will be forcedinto the recess 26 in arm 18 as the projection 24 passes over projection28 in response to continued movement of cover 14 in an openingdirection. When this occurs, the projection 24 and recess 26 will bebrought into releasable locking interengagement by virtue of theflexibility of the arms 18 and 20 and will resist disengagement with aforce more than sufiicient to maintain the cover 14 in open position.However, the projection 24 and recess 26 may be disengaged by theapplication of a predetermined force to the cover 14 in an opening orclosing direction so that the cover may be swung to fully open position,if that is desired or may be closed without manipulating the arms 18 and20.

It will be noted that the arms 18 and 20 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 aresubstantially in end to end length. The range of movement of the cover14 between closed and fixed open position allowed by these arms istherefore at a maximum. Making the arms or one of the arms of lesslength would of course shorten the range of movement, while making themof longer length would result in the free ends of the arms being toolong to be housed in the box when the cover 14 is closed.

In Fig. 3 a modification of the invention is shown in which an arcuateshaped arm 30 and a rectilinear arm 32 cooperate to form a stop. The arm30 may be similar in construction to the arm 20 previously described andpreferably is anchored to the cover 14' centered on the axis of hinge16'. Arm 32 comprises a generally rectangular strip of spring metal(Fig. 4). At one end, it is suitably anchored to the bottom of the box10' as by fixing the same to an anchor block 34 in the bottom of the boxby means of screws, etc. At its free end, the arm 32 is provided with arecess 36 in the side thereof confronting arm 30 complementary to aprojection 38 in the latter arm. Adjacent the recess 36, the arm 32 hasa pro ection 40 oppositely directed from the recess 36 and located at aposition to engage the body of arm 30 as seen in Fig. 3.

In order to operate in the manner intended, the arm 32 is anchoredsufliciently close to the rear end of the box 10 to bring projection 40into biased engagement mm the body of arm 30 so as to flex the arm 32.The projection 40 thus forms an area of sliding contact between the arms30 and 32 when the cover is moved in an opening or closing direction andthe projection 38 on arm 30 and recess 36 in arm 32 will firmlylockingly interengage when the cover 14' is opened far enou h to bringthese parts opposite each other. Like the form of the inventiondisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, the stop disclosed in Fig. 3 allows for fullopening of the cover 14' should that be desired.

From the above description of two embodiments of the invention, itsadvantages and various modifications in the construction thereof will besuggested. For example, while both arms in both modifications have beendescribed as flexible, it will be understood that the stop could be madeto function with one rigid and one flexible arm. It is also to be notedthat provisions could be made for opening the cover 14 to variousdegrees by providing a series of recesses similar to recess 26 along thebody of arm 18.

In any event, it will be noted that a stop has been provided which isextremely inexpensive to construct because it may be stamped from springmetal and because it is of relatively small size. Not only is itinexpensive to construct but also it is easily installed. Moreover, itis designed to hold a cover or the like at a predetermined position orto allow for full opening of the cover.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that numerous variations andmodifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlyingprinciples of the invention. It is desired, therefore, by the followingclaims to include within the scope of the invention all such variationsand modifications by which substantially the results of the inventionmay be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalentmeans.

What I claim is:

1. A check to limit relative swinging movement between hingedlyconnected members comprising a pair of substantially symmetrical arcuateshaped flexible arms, complementary formations in said arms respectivelyadapted to interengage when brought together for releasably locking thearms at a predetermined position of extension, and means to anchorcorresponding ends of said arms to said hinged members respectivelycentered on the axis of swinging movement of the latter and flexedagainst each other to adapt the arms for relative endwise slidingmovement in response to swinging movement of said hinged members, thearms being of a material sufliciently resistant to flexing so thatopposing forces are generated therebetween sufficient firmly tointerchange the complementary formations brought together uponpredetermined relative swinging movement of the hinged membersreleasably to lock the said swinging members at a position.

2. A check releasably to lock the hinged cover of a box in open positioncomprising a pair of flexible substantially symmetrical approximately 90segments, complementary radially extending formations along saidsegments respectively adapted releasably to interengage, and means toanchor corresponding ends of said segments respectively to said coverand to the box centered on the axis of swinging movement of said coverand flexed against each other to adapt the segments for relative endwisesliding movement in response to swinging movement of said cover, thesegments being of a material sufficiently resistant to flexing so thatopposing forces are generated therebetween sufficient firmly tointerengage the complementary formations brought together uponpredetermined swinging movement of the cover releasably to lock the saidcover in open position.

3. A check to limit relative swinging movement between hingedlyconnected members comprising a pair of substantially symmetrical arcuateshaped flexible arms, offsets adjacent corresponding ends of said armsextending radially in opposite directions, a depression in the end ofone of said arms adjacent the offset therein, said depression beingcomplementary to the offset in the other of said arms to adapt the samelockingly '4 to receive the said offset, and means to anchor the ends ofsaid arms opposite said offsets to said hinged members respectively soas to center the arms on the axis of swinging movement of said hingedmembers and to flex the body of each arm against the offset in theopposing arm to adapt the arms for endwise sliding movement, the amountof flexibility of said arms being suflicient releasably lockingly toforce the said one offset into said depression when they are broughtopposite each other by predetermined relative swinging movement of thehinged members releasably to lock the latter at a position.

4. A check to limit relative swinging movement between hingedlyconnected members'comprising a generally arcuate shaped arm adapted tobe secured to one of said hinged members, a relatively thin, fiat,generally rectangular strip adapted to be secured to the other of saidhinged members, at least said strip being flexible, a cooperating offsetand recess in said arm and strip adapted releasably to interengage,means including flanges on said arm and strip for anchoring the same tothe hinged members respectively positioned to lie in substantiallyside-by-side closely spaced relation over the major portion of theirlength when the hinged members are at one extreme in their range ofrelative movement and to flex the strip against the arcuate side of saidarm sufficiently firmly lockingly to interengage the offset and recesswhen they are brought opposite each other by relative swinging movementof the hinged members to the other extreme in their range of movement.

5. A check to limit relative swinging movement between hinged memberscomprising a first elongated arm fixedly secured adjacent one end to oneof said hinged members, a second elongated arm fixedly connectedadjacent its corresponding end to the other of said hinged members at aposition closely to space the same from the first arm and at leastpartially to overlap the arms over a major portion of their end-to-endlength when the hinged members are at one limit in their range ofrelative swinging movement, and locking means including substantiallycomplementary formations upon said arms adapted to be brought intoreleasable interengagement, at least one of said arms having sufficientflexibility to bias the same in a direction to bring the complementaryformations in releasable interengagement upon relative swinging movementof the hinged members in a direction toextend the elongated armsrelatively a predetermined amount.

6. A check to limit relative swinging movement between hinged memberscomprising first and second elongated arms of strap metal, means fixedlyto anchor the arms adjacent corresponding ends thereof respectively tothe hinged members positioned to lie in substantially coextensiveclosely spaced relation over the major portion of their end-to-endlength when the hinged members are at one extreme in their range ofrelative swinging movement, and locking means including a recessadjacent the free end of one of said arms and a substantiallycomplementary projection adjacent the free end of the other, at leastone of said arms being spring tempered and having sufficient flexibilityto bias the same in a direction to bring the recess and projection intoreleasable interengagement when the hinged members are swung relativelyin a direction to extend the elongated arms relatively a predeterminedamount.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS919,154 Gen Apr. 20, 1909 1,650,598 Brooks Nov. 29, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS192,269 Germany Sept. 9, 1906

